“Where it really matters” is a key statement. This will differ for all individuals. I don’t mean buying a ‘want to’ item that you’ll forget about 1 month after opening the package and being on to the next big thing. But if you are an avid golfer, that’s a luxury that matters. We love to travel – we are frugal so we can save for retirement, not be stressed for money, and yes to spend money on travel.

So your question takes on a new meaning when you discuss what you really mean by “luxury”. Is luxury a meaningless item you can live without…..or is luxury a meaningful item you find is truly worth the money you spend?

A sad cautionary tale…

I know a woman who worked a second part-time job (swing shift) so she could afford a two-week trip across Europe ALONE and years later saved for breast enhancement/tummy tuck/full body lift surgery.

She had a husband that worked outdoors doing manual labor 12 hours a day to keep a roof over their heads and ensured his availability to care for their two school-aged sons while she worked her second job purely to enhance herself.

Not surprising–
they’ve since divorced,
the kids never went to college or learned a trade (one dropped out of HS), and
they all have an extremely poor relationship with her.

In her selfishness, she denied the family security-building savings, a college plan for the kids, and necessary home improvements (replacement of a 40+ yr old furnace and leaking roof that caused the living room ceiling to cave in, barely missing one of the kids sitting on the couch).
Not to mention the lost hours she could have spent with her family when she was otherwise working, or sleeping before/after her night shifts.

The last big purchase [after the divorce] that she scrimped and saved for, was an addition to HER master bedroom, adding a floor to ceiling tiled bathroom with a huge hot tub sauna. To afford it, she again worked an overnight second PT job & rented out her kids’ bedroom to university students. In their late teens by then, the boys opted to moved in with their Father. Who could blame them.

When the low-bid contractor [unlicensed workers] took the back of her house off and then left town with her cash only 70%- down deposit, Habitat for Humanity stepped in to complete the project, and gave her a low-interest loan on the building supplies [labor was provided free by volunteers].

There is a point at which this person sidestepped what was truly important.

plonkee: It will be okay but I cannot help but think what would happen I guess I’m a little ahead of the curve at this point already so I should be good down the road.